The present invention relates to the surgical lighting and accessory control arts. It finds particular application in conjunction with controlling the intensity of light emanating from lightheads in an operating room (OR) setting and will be described with particular reference thereto. It is to be appreciated, however, that the invention also finds application in conjunction with controlling functions of other devices and is not limited to the aforementioned lighting application.
Typically, in an operating room setting, large, high lumen output lightheads are used to illuminate the surgical site. At certain times during an operation, it is appropriate for the surgeon to adjust the intensity of the light. For example, the surgeon may prefer a more intense overhead light to illuminate the operating region better, or the surgeon may desire to decrease the strength of the overhead light to reduce the effects of shadows or glare. In some situations, the overhead lamps are turned off completely so that smaller, local light sources can be used or to help surgeons view monitor screens and other equipment.
Light intensity controls in typical lighting systems are generally located in areas which are not directly accessible to the surgeon, such as on a non-sterile wall plate. To avoid potential contamination of the operating site, the surgeon requests a circulating nurse to adjust the non-sterile controls, as needed. This consumes both the nurse's time, and the surgeon's attention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,351 discloses a lighting system in which the light intensity control is located on a distal end of a sterile handle of the lighthead. A single push button at the tip of the lighthead handle is used to allow the surgeon to control the intensity, cycling through discrete intensity levels with each push of the button. A primary disadvantage of this system, however, is that it is very awkward to use. The hand must be inverted in order to position the user's thumb under the push button on the bottom of the lighthead handle. Additionally, the push-button mechanism creates surfaces where blood can become lodged, making sterilization for subsequent procedures difficult. Still further, functionally, the single push button allows only unidirectional light level cycling.
The present invention provides new and improved ergonomic control methods and apparatus that overcome the above-referenced problems and others.